Elvis Bitsilly brings home 2 gold from National Senior Games

WINDOW ROCK

Elvis Bitsilly returns from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he participated in the 2022 National Senior Games, the largest multisport athletic event in the world for people over the age of 50. Bitsilly competed in four events, the 5K and 10K road races, but he would become the national champion for the shuffleboard singles and shuffleboard doubles.

Bitsilly, 62, is from Tohatchi, New Mexico. He is Tábąąhá (Water’s Edge clan) and born for Kiyaa’áanii (Towering House clan).

“It feels wonderful,” Bitsilly said. “I was looking forward to the games in Florida after Albuquerque last year, and I just wanted to go out there and try harder and do my best again.

“And it all worked out,” he said. “I won the single gold and the doubles gold; I was very excited about that and happy for that. I knew I could do it, but I just needed to play my game and it all worked out.”

Bitsilly was among 13,000 participants this year. He saw only one other Navajo competing in the womens’ division, but otherwise, he was one of the few to represent the Navajo Nation, something he was proud of.

In the prelims of the shuffleboard-single event, he won 3-1 games, making him No. 3 in the nation going into the championship rounds. He made it to the finals, where he faced the 2019 defending champion, whom he had his one loss during the prelims. Bitsilly favored a defensive strategy, grinding the game until both were scoring low points until the end when Bitsilly picked up speed and won the game 30-17.

It ended with a 6-1 record and was made national champion for the shuffleboard-singles division. Bitsilly was one of 13 teams in the shuffleboard-doubles division and was paired with a partner from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Playing together, they were able to win 4-1 games, with their only loss being a forfeit, marking them as No. 4 heading into the championship bracket.

Their first two championship games were close, but the pair could pull through. They heeded to defensive gameplay again, which led them to the championship game.

It was a battle, but they would pull through with a closer score of 37-29 in their favor. With a recorded victory of 7-1, they were both made national champions for the shuffleboard double division.

“The bracket play was pretty strong, and the players that were from the other states were tough,” he said. “They played the sport more than I have, and I’ve only been in that sport for three years, so I did very well, and I was happy about that.”

Bitsilly first competed in the National Senior Games in 2015 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Then he competed in the 2017 games in Birmingham, Alabama, and the 2019 games in Albuquerque.

The games were canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the next games will be held in Pittsburgh next year.

Bitsilly said he had fun competing in such events, first as a runner and then as a shuffleboard player and hoped other Navajos will join him.

“I’d like to see a lot more of our seniors to get out and participate,” he said. “We’re all role models for our younger people, our younger generation, and they look up to us for being healthy and having a healthy lifestyle.”

Previously, Bitsilly prepared for the road races by running around his home and competing in local races. However, those races have become rare since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile, he didn’t get much opportunity to train for shuffleboard since many closed facilities. All he could do was resolve to do his best, and he was able to walk away with the win.

Bitsilly enjoys shuffleboard as it’s a strategy game, and every game is different, as one must adjust to other opponents, various settings, and strategies.

“It’s a relaxing game,” he said. “It’s not a lot of stress on your body or anything. It’s just a matter of just thinking the game out and working your plan as you play along.”

Still, he considers running his favorite sport. Although he didn’t place, he did place in the top eight nationwide in previous games, competing against athletes who were a part of the elite in their prime.

Bitsilly said overall, it’s a lot of fun, but he hopes to see more representation of the Navajo Nation in the future as he helps pave the way.

He encourages his fellow seniors to stay healthy and be active and live a healthy life, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He knows staying fit is hard on the Navajo Nation but believes it is possible, especially if there are role models.

“It’s just a matter of getting out there and taking those first walks and having less unhealthy foods,” he said. “Once you start that, there’s a chain reaction everybody else follows. Especially in our youth, in our children, we just need to get out there and stay fit. Live a proper, healthy lifestyle.

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